THE turnaround in the prospects for dairy producers has been nothing short of staggering in a few short months.
Farm gate price increases could soon hit a 10p per litre uplift over a six-month period. It is all needed, of course, and more, if a period of profitability and on-farm investment is to happen.
Investors are even now looking at setting up processing facilities in the North-east of Scotland – in the early part of 2016, they would all have run a mile!
And, of course, this is all down to one thing – a shortage of milk, at both local and world levels, as producers turned off the taps in their loss-making enterprises.
However, rather than approach this rising market in a structured manner, there are some who are now preparing to go hell for leather to try to cash in.
Certainly, the trailer loads of continental milking heifers and cows arriving on some South-west corners are already setting alarm bells ringing.
It seems the industry might be heading back to bust, before the boom has even arrived.
Some people will never learn! It is to be hoped that our industry leaders are more circumspect this time round and refrain from encouraging another production surge.